Machine for clearing out pipe



Aug. 6, 1940.

J. O. MAGRUDER MACHINE FOR CLEARING OUT PIPE Filed July 19. 1957 4shets-sheet 1 Aug- 6, 1940- J. o. MAGRUDER 2.210,300

MACHINE FOR CLEARING OUT PIPE Filed July 19. 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR: nToHlv O,MAG'RUDER,

BYZ; i

ATTORNEY,

Aug. 6, 1940- J. o. MAGRUDER MACHINE FOR CLEARING OUT PIPE Filed July19. 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 JJO INVENTOR- -JoH/v 0. MA GRU D ER, 8%/

A TTORNE Y.

MACHINE FOR CLEARING OUT PIPE Filed July 19, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR.- JoH/v O. MAGRUDER,

A TTORNEYl Patented Aug. 6, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FORCLEARING OUT PIPE John 0. Magruder, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application July 19, 1937, Serial No. 154,456

Claims.

This invention relates to machines for clearing out pipe, such as sewerpipe, water pipe, cable ducts and the like, and is an improvement on mySewer cleaning apparatus, covered by my United 5 States Letters PatentNo. 2,075,215, dated March 30, 1937, and on my Machine for clearing outpipe, disclosed in my application, led August 5, 1936, Serial No.94,325, now Patent No. 2,183,618.

' One of the objects of the invention is to provide a machine of thecharacter stated with improved means for holding the clearing tool wirewound securely on the reel, except at the point where the wire isdirected from the reel through a pipe to be cleared by` the tool on theforward end of the Wire, thus enabling the reel to pay out the wire andforce said tool through said pipe against considerable resistance withinsaid pipe, and preventing such resistance from obstructing said tool insaid pipe and springing the wire outwardly and unwinding it from thereel.

Another object is to provide a machine of the character stated with asimplied and improved variable speed transmission for operating the reelon which the clearing tool wire is wound.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings which form a partof this specification,

and in which,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of my invention taken on line I-I ofFig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a plan of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on an enlarged scale of the outer portionofthe reel, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, illustrating the wire holdingmeans.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the outer portion of thereel, as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary edge view of the reel looking in the directionof the arrow 5 in Fig. 1.

Fig 6 is a cross section on an enlarged scale of the outer portion ofthe reel. taken on line pulleys for .driving .the r'eel. j

lenglar'ge'dfscale`taken, online If-Iof Fig'.f2, illus..

trating certain parts of the drive means forY th'e.H

reel frame and the reel.

. .'g. 10 is across-'section ,similar I to 3,

in which corresponding parts are designated by the same referencecharacters in all of the views, I designates a supporting frameincluding a base 2 and end uprights 3 and 4 upstanding from said base atthe forward and rear ends respectively 6 thereof. A rotatable reel frame5 is journaled at its forward end by means of a trunnion 6 and bearing'1, and at its rear end by means of a trunnion 8 and bearing 9, whichtrunnions project from the forward and rear ends respectively of 10 saidreel frame and are journaled respectively in said bearings, whichbearings are located in the upper ends of the uprights 3 and 4respectively. The reel frame 5 comprises of front end crosshead I0, arear end crosshead II and four longitudinal connecting rods I2 connectedat their ends respectively to said crossheads, the trunnions 6 and 8projecting from said crossheads respectively. Within said reel frame 5two pairs of oppositely disposed connecting rods 20 I2 ismounted a reelI3 on a shaft I4 secured at its ends in a pair of crossbars I5, Whichare secured respectively to said pairs of oppositely disposed connectingrods I2. The reel I3 is formed with a hub I6, a pair of discs I-Isecured25 on said hub in spaced relation, an outer rim I8, and spokes I9connecting said discsy respectively and said rim. To the reel rim I8,around its entire circumference,` are secured a plurality of pairs ofarcuate wire holders 20, which are posi- 30 tioned transversely, of saidrim and extend outwardly therefrom, with the ends 2l, of each of saidwire holders outermost and providing a space 22 between said endsdirectly outwardly from said rim, through which space a wire 23 isintro- 35 duced into said wire holders, in winding said wire on the reelI3, or is removed from said wire holders, in unwinding said wire fromsaid reel. An arcuate wire clamp 24 is pivotally mounted at one side ofthe rim I8 on a shaft 25, to swing 40 between each pair of wirev holders`2,0 to clamp the wire y2,3 within said 'wire holders'th'shaft 25,'onwhicheach of saidwireiclamps '1sl unted holders are `pivote alte(inthereelrim'fatfshort distances apart around he reel to lholdfthe Wirewound firmly on the reel, so Vthatit .c :annot,slipv oii'either side of.

the reel through the openings 22 between the outer ends of the wireholders 26. From the hub of each wire clamp 24 extends a weighted arm21, outside of the pair of wire holders 20 between which said wire clampextends, and on the outer end of said arm is secured a weight 28 whichis heavy enough to swing4 said wire clamp inwardly between said pair ofwire holders to hold the Wire, under centrifugal force during rotationof the reel I3. A spring 29 is coiled in two coils 30 around the outerportions of each pivot shaft 25 beyond the wire-holder webs 26,respectively, in which said shaft is secured, and said spring is formedwith a member 3l connecting the inner ends of said coils 36 andextending across the outer edge of the weighted arm 21 of the wire clamp24 which is pivoted on said shaft, while the outer ends 32 of said coilsengage the inner side of the reel rim I8, and hold said wire clamp 24within the pair of wire holders 20, between which said clamp swings, inclamping position upon the wire 23 wound upon the reel I3, within saidwire holders. whereby the wire 23 is clamped upon the reel I3 within thewire holders 26.

` On the reel-supporting frame 5, forwardly of the reel I3, are mounteda pair of cams 33 at opposite sides respectively, of the reel wireholders 20, said cams being respectively secured von arms 34, which aresecured on a pair of rods I2, of the reel frame 5, at opposite sidesrespectively of said reel. A guide 35 extends from between said camsforwardly within the reel frame 5 for guiding the wire 23 from the reelI3, or onto the reel, when the reel is rotated on its shaft I4, forunwinding the wire from the reel, or for winding the wire upon the reel.Said guide comprises a guide plate 36 and a guide tube 31 extendingforwardly from said plate through a sleeve 38, from which sleeve extenda pair of supporting arms 39 secured at their outer ends respectively toa pair of rods I2 of the reelY frame 5 at opposite sides of the reel I3whereby the guide 35 is mounted upon said reel frame. The guide plate 36is positioned so as to pass successively through the wire holders 26 andto close the spaces 22 successively between the outer ends of said wireholders, as the reel I3 is rotated. The forward end 40vof the guide tube31 extends to Within a short distance of the rear end 4I of a tubularguide shaft 42, which shaft is .journaled in the forward trunnion 6 ofthe reel frame 5, and extends through the front and rear ends of saidtrunnion and rearwardly through the front cross head I0 of said reelframe. 'I'he wire 23 is guided from the reel I3 through the openings 22between the outer ends of the wire holders 20. by. the guide plate 36,and extends through and is guided by the guide tube 31 into the rear end4I of the tubular guide shaft 42, through which shaft the wire extendsand by which the wire is guided forwardly beyond the machine, therebeing a clearing tool 43 secured on the forward end of said wire beyondthe forward end of said tubular guide' shaft.` On the rear end of thetubular shaft 42, within the forward end of the reel frame 5, is secureda pinion 44 in mesh with a gear 45 secured on the forward end of 'ashaft 46 journaled near its forward and rear ends in bearings 41- and 48respectively, which bearings are mounted, respectively, on cross bars 49and 5l) secured to a pair of the connecting rods I2 of the reel frame 5at one side of the reel I3. On the rear end of the shaft 46 is secured abeveled pinion 5I in mesh with a. beveled gear 62 secured to the outsideof the adjacent reel disc I1.

On the forward conical end 53 of the forward trunnion 6 of reel frame 5is secured a grooved pulley 54 by means of a nut 55 which is threaded onsaid end of said trunnion, as at 56 and engages the forward side of saidpulley, said pulley being also keyed on said trunnion by a key 54'. Abrake 51 is mounted at the rear side of the pulley 5 4 for applicationto said pulley for controlling rotation of the reel frame 5 in themanner hereinafter more fully described. The drum 58 of the brake 51 issecured to the rear side of the pulley 54, while the brake disc 59, onwhich the brake shoes 66 are mounted, is bolted to one end of a hub 6I,surrounding the trunnion 6 and rotatably mounted thereon, by means of aball bearing 62. The cam arm 63 of the brake is mounted on the disc 58and the brake is operated by suitable operating means 64 connected tosaid cam arm.

On the forward end of the tubular guide shaft 42, forwardly of thepulley 54, is mounted a variable size pulley 65. Said pulley comprises apair of interconnected circular pulley members 66 and 61. The member 66of said pulley comprises a hub 68, a belt engaging annulus 69 and aconnecting annulus 16 connecting the inner edge of said belt-engagingannulus and the outer edge of said hub, said connecting annulus beinginclined outwardly from said hub toward the pulley member 61 and saidbelt-engaging annulus being inclined from said connecting annulusoutwardly with relation to pulley member 61. Said pulley member 66 isformed with a plurality of radial slots 1 I, which extend from the hub68 outwardly through the connecting annulus 16 and through the beltengaging annulus 69 for a portion of its width, said slots 1I formingradial spokes 12 therebetween in said pulley member 66. The pulleymember 61 comprises a hub 13, a beltengaging annulus 14, and aconnecting annulus 15 connecting the inner edge of said belt-engagingannulus and the outer edge of said hub, said connecting annulus beinginclined outwardly from said hub toward the pulley member 66 and saidbelt-engaging annulus being inclined from said connecting annulusoutwardly with relation to pulley member 61. Said pulley member 61 isformed with a plurality of radial slots 16, which extend outwardlyfrom'the hub 13 through the connecting annulus `15 and through thebeltengaging annulus 14 for a portion of its width, said slots 16forming radial spokes 11, therebetween, in said pulley member 61. Theslots 1I of the pulley member 66 are positioned to receive the angularspokes 11 in the connecting annulus t 15 and belt-receiving annulus 14of the pulley member 61, while the slots 16 of the pulley member 61 arepositioned to receive the angular spokes 12 in the connecting annulus 16and belt-receiving annulus 69 of the pulley member 66, whereby thespokes 12 of the pulley member 66 are caused to interlock with thespokes 11 of the pulley member 61, so that the pulley members 66 and 61will rotatetogether. The hub 68 of the pulley member 66 is fitted on thetubular guide shaft 42 and is bolted to an annular external ange 18 onsaid shaft by bolts 19 adjacent the outer end of the forward trunnion 6of the reel frame 45. The hub 13 of the pulley member 61 .is tted on asleeve 80, slidably mounted on the tubular guide shaft 42, and is boltedto an external'annular iiange 8I on the inner end of said sleeve bybolts 8l so that said pulley member 61 will slide with said sleeve onsaid shaft toward or away from the pulley member 66. A colla-r 82v issecured on the outer end of the tubular guide shaft 42 and a coil spring83, surrounding said shaft and the pulley sleeve 80, is interposedbetween Vsaid collar and the hub 13 of the pulley member 61, whichspring urges said pulley member toward the pulley member 66 and, themovement of the pulley 61 toward the pulley 66, under the influence ofsaid spring, being limited by the engagement of the spokes 12 of thepulley member 66 with the outer ends of the slots 16 of the pulleymember 61 and the engagement of the spokes 11 of the pulley member 61with the outer ends of the slots 1| in the pulley member 66, in whichposition of the pulley members 66 and 61, the V-shaped belt groove 84 inthe periphery of the pulley 65 is increased to its maximum diameter.

At one side of the reel frame 5 is journaled a drive shaft 85, inbearings 86 and 81, the bearing 86 being mounted in the forward endupright 3 of the frame I and the bearing 81 being mounted on the upperend of a standard 88 secured to the base 2 of said frame, forwardly ofsaid upright. On said drive shaft between its bearings, are mounteddrive pulleys 89 and 90. A belt 9| extends over the pulleys 89 and 54and a belt 92 extends over the pulleys 90 and 65. The pulley 89 isnormally clutched to the drive shaft 85 by a spring-actuated clutch 93.The pulley 90 is a variable diameter'pulley of the same construction asthat of pulley 65, and the above description of pulley 65 applies topulley 90, except that a sleeve 94, slidable on the drive shaft 85, isformed integral with the hub 13 of the member 61 of pulley 90. The hub68 of the member 66 of pulley 90 is bolted, by bolts 95 to an externalflange 96 on the drive shaft 85. The'clutch disc 91 of clutch 93 issecured on an annular flange 98 on the rear end of a clutch sleeve 99slidable ony the drive shaft 85, the inner end of which sleeve is heldagainst the flange 96 on said shaft by the springs of said clutch,which'spring bears at one end against the disc pressure ring IOI and atits other end against the casing |02 of said clutch which casing issecured at its inner end to one side of the pulley 89 by bolts |03 whichextend through an external flange |84 on said end of said easing andthrough the radii wall of said pulley to hold said flange against saidwall. The pulley 89 is rotatably mounted on the drive shaft 85 by meansof a ball bearing |06 which is interposed between the hub |01 of saidpulley and said drive shaft, the inner race |08 of said ball bearingbeing slidable on said drive shaft to allow the pulley 89 to be movedinto or out of engagement with the clutch disc 91 in the mannerhereinafter more fully described. 0n the inner side of the clutch casingI 02 are pivoted the clutch lingers |09. at IIIl. the outer ends ofwhich fingers engage inturned lugs I outstanding from the clutch-discpressure ring IUI, While the inner ends of said fingers engage theexternal flange ||2 on the inner end of the clutch-operating sleeve ||3slidable on the drive shaft 85. A shaft II4 is journaled ln bearings ||5on the upright 3 of the main frame I, and a fork II6 is secured on oneend of said shaft, while a clutch-operating arm II1 ls secured on theother end of said shaft, said fork straddling the sleeve II3 andengaging the flange |I2 of said sleeve, so that when saidclutch-operating arm II1- is swung counterclockwise (Figs. 2 and 7) saidfork I|6 engages the sleeve flange ||2 and forces said flange and thesleeve II3 inwardly, whereupon said nange swings the clutch fingers |09counterclockwise and the outer ends of said fingers, engaging the lugslIII, move the discpressure ring IOI outwardly and relieves the pressureof said ring from the clutch disc 91, while the inward pressure of saidsleeve flange II2 against said lingers '|09 is transmitted 'through saidlingers, their pivots |I0 andthe of the pulley 89 and said pulley isclutched to the drive shaft 85.

On the outer end of the sleeve 94 of member 61 of pulley 90 is turnablymounted a collar II8 by means of a ball bearing |I9, which collar isprovided with an annular groove |28 in which is turnably fitted a ring|2| to which is pivotally connected at |22 the upper ends of a fork |23,which is secured at its lower end on a shaft |24 journaled in bearings|25 and |26 on the standard 88 and frame base 2 respectively. Anoperating arm |21 is secured on one end of the shaft for moving themember 61 of pulley 90 toward or away from the member 66, through themedium of the shaft I 24, fork |23, ring |2| and collar |I8, forincreasing or decreasing the diameter oi the belt groove 84 of saidpulley 90.

'I'he drive shaft 85 is coupled at its rear end by a coupling |28 to theforward end of the crank shaft |29 of an automobile engine |30 mountedon the base 2 of the main frame I, whereby said drive shaft is driven bysaid engine. The engine I 30 is controlled by its clu'tch, indicated atI3I, and transmission |32.

The operation, uses and advantages of my invention are as follows:

'I'he machine is first suitably positioned and the clearing tool 43 isinserted into the end of a pipe to be cleared out. The engine is startedand the drive shaft 85 and pulleys 89 and 90 are rotated by the engineshaft, the clutch 93 being in its normal operative position clutchingthe pulley 89 to said drive shaft 85. vThrough the belt 9| the pulley 89rotates the pulley 54, trunnion 6 and the reel frame 5 together with thereel I3, which rotates the wire 23 and the clearing tool 43. Through thebelt 92 the pulley 90 rotates the pulley 65, guide shaft 42, pinion 44,gear 45, shaft 46, bevel pinion 5|, bevel gear 52 and the reel I3 on itsshaft I4, whereupon the rotating wire 23 is unwound from said reelthrough the guide and tubular guide shaft 42, the wire clamps 24 beingswung away from the wire and above the guide plate 36 by the engagementof the clamp weights 28 by the cams 33 as the wire leaves the reel andpasses through the guide tube 31. and the rotating clearing tool 43 isprojected by the unwinding wire through said pipe to be cleared, andsaid pipe is thereby cleared out by said tool.

The sneed at which the clearing tool 43 is advanced through the pipe tobe cleared may be varied by swinging the operating lever I 21 of thepulley-varying means to move the member 61 of .the pulley 98 toward oraway from the memcreased by said pulley-varying means the diameter ofthe belt groove 84 of the pulley 65 is convversely decreased orincreased automatically, by

the changing position of the belt 92 on said pulleys, the spring 83yielding to allow the member 61 of pulley G5 to be moved away from themember of said pulley, for reducing the diameter ofthe belt groove ofsaid pulley, and said spring expanding to move the member 61 of saidpulley towards the member 66'for increasing the diameter ofthe beltgroove. i

Decrease of the diameter of the belt groove of the pulley 90 andincrease of the diameter of the belt groove of the pulley 65, causes thepulley 65 and the reel I3, through its driving mechanism from saidpulley, to be rotated slower by the engine, and consequently the Wire 23is unwound faster from the reel and the clearing tool 43 is advanced ata faster speed by said wire through the pipe to be cleared. y

Increase of the diameter of the belt groove of puley 90 and decrease ofthe diameter of the belt groove of pulley 65, causes the pulley 65 andthe reel I3, through its driving mechanism from said pulley, to berotated faster by the engine 30, and consequently the reel is rotatedbackwardly and the wire 23 is pulled backwardly and wound upon the reeland the clearing tool 43 is pulled backwardly by said wire through thepipe to b cleared.

The advancement of the clearing tool 43 through the pipe to be clearedis effected when the pulley 65 is rotated at a slower speed than thetrunnion 6 and the reel frame 5. When the pulley 65 and its shaft 42,arerotatedat the same speed as the trunnion 6 the reel I3 is not rotated onits shaft I4 and consequently the Wire 23 and tool 43 are neitheradvanced forwardly nor drawn backwardly by the reel. When the pulley 65and its shaft 42 are rotated faster than the trunnion I and the reelframe 5, the reel I3 is rotated backwards, or clockwise as considered inFig. 1, through its driving mechanism from said pulley 65, and the wire23 and clearing tool 43 are drawn backwardly by the reel.

The pulley varying means, operated by lever |21, and the pulleys 90 and65 constitute a rever-sing -means for reversing the longitudinalmovement of the wire 23 and tool 43 as well as a means for varying thespeed of the longitudinal movement of the wire and tool inasmuch as thereel may be caused to rotate backwardly by varying the diameter of thepulley 90 and 65 relatively vby the pulley varying means.

By disengaging the clutch 93 and releasing the pulley 89 from the shaft85, and by applying the brake 51 to the pulley 5.4, therotary reel frame5 is brought to rest so that the reel I3 will be rotated backwardly, bythe engine |30 running in its forward direction, to Wind the wire 23 onthe reel and pull the wire and the'tool out of a pipe withoutrotatingthe wire and tool. the clutch 93 disengaged and the brake 51applied, so that the reel frame 5 is brought to rest, reversal of theengine |30, by reversing the gears of the engine transmission |32, willcause the reel- `to be rotated on its shaft |4 to unwind the wire y 1. Amachine as disclosed comprising a sup- With yon said supportinfgjramnions are respz'actively'jjourfnaled,l a: reelv vjournaled lin saidreeiframe transversely-thereof, a wire l yeffperipher'y of portingframe, a reel mounted on said frame to be rotated on its transverseaxis, a wire wound on said reel, a guide for guiding said Wire from saidreel, means for guiding the outer portion of said wire with a toolthereon to perform Work,

a plurality of clamps for clamping the wire on the reel alternately fromopposite sides of the reel, and means for releasing said clamps fromsaid wire as it is guided from the reel by said guide.

3. A machine as disclosed comprising a supporting frame, a reel, meansfor revolubly mounting said reel on said supporting frame, a wire wound.on said reel, means on the periphery of said reel open at the outerradial sides thereof to restrain axial shifting of said wire, aplurality of clamps on the periphery of said reel for clamping said wirewound on said reel, a guide for guiding the wire unwound from said reelthrough the open outer sidesv of said wire restraining means, said guideincluding a guide plate, positioned to pass through said wirerestraining means and to form a closure for the outer open sidesthereof, as said wire holders travel past said guide plate and said wireis unwound from the reel under said guide plate, means for swing-` ingsaid wire clamps outwardly away from the porting frame, a reel, meansfor revolubly mounting said reel on said supporting frame, a wire woundon said reel, means on the periphery ofsaid reel open at the outerradial sides thereof to restrain axial shifting of said wire, aplurality of clamps mounted to swing alternately from oppositevsides,respectively of the reel over the wire Wound on the reel within saidwire restraining means, for clamping the Wire on the reel, a guide forguiding the wire` unwound from said reel through the open outer sides osaid wire restraining means, said guide inriding a guide platepositioned to pass through said wire restraining means and to-A form aclosure for the outer open sides thereof, as said wire holders travelpast said guide plate, and means for swinging said wire clamps outwardlyaway from the wire in said wire restraining means and over the sideedges of said guide plate'to escape said plate, as said wire clampstravel past said guide plate while the wire is unwound from said reel.

5.r A machine as disclosed comprising a supporting `fr'ame, a rotaryreel framegjtrunnions on the ends respectively: ofsaid Irame,'bearingswhich..l said trunwound on said'reel, 'mea said reel open at the Louteradialisides thereof to restrain axial shifting-:fdf'sat wirefapluralityof clamps mounted tovfswing lom,j )rfipzosite sides of the reely overthe wire `xlvouiid'on the reel `within said wire restraining means, for.clamping the wire on the reel, a hollow cuide shaft Journaled in one ofsaid trunnions. a .guide for guiding the lwire unwound from saidreelthroughthe open sides oi' said wire restraining means. into saidhollow guide shaft, said guide including a guide plate posi-f tioned topass through said wire restraining means 10 said guide plate, means forswinging said clampsl outwardly i'rom the wire on the reel in saidrestraining means and-over the side edges oi' guide plate to escape saidplate. as saidv 'travelpast said guide plate while the wire is unwoundi'rom the reel, means i'or rotating'said reel frame von its trunnions,means for rotating said hollow guide shaft. and means whereby said reelis rotated on its axis in said reel frame from said hollow guide shaft.

JOHN 0. HAGRUDIR.' 10

